S6 : Ep 2 - ACOFAS : Revisited - PART 1

Summary

Flights of Fantasy – S6 : Ep 2 - A Court of Frost and Starlight - PART 1

Podcast Date: January 27, 2026
Hosts: Anna, Kim, and Kristina

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Episode Overview

In this lively and heartfelt book club discussion, Anna, Kim, and Kristina (collectively, your “book besties”) return to the roots of their podcast by revisiting Sarah J. Maas’s novella, A Court of Frost and Starlight (ACOFAS), a pivotal bridge between the original ACOTAR trilogy and A Court of Silver Flames. The episode delves into the novella’s unique structure and purpose, tracks character developments, explores themes of trauma, art, and healing, and unpacks notable scenes and relationship dynamics. As always, the hosts blend deep analysis with playful banter, aiming for both seasoned Sarah J. Maas fans and newcomers alike.

Note: This is Part 1 of their ACOFAS coverage, ending before the hosts’ deep dives into Elain, Azriel, Lucien, Mor, Nesta, and Cassian.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Purpose and Structure of the Novella

(03:37-07:14)

• Transitional Role:
  • Kim notes that ACOFAS serves as a bridge between the Feyre-centric original trilogy and future books, prepping readers for the stylistic shift coming in A Court of Silver Flames.
  • The novella blends first-person POVs for Feyre and Rhysand (consistent with the previous books) with third-person limited POVs for other characters (“It does feel definitely different...it was a little jarring, the jumping back and forth,” Kim, 05:29).
• Third Person Limited Explained:
  • Kim explains: “Third person limited means the story is told using pronouns using he or she, but we only get access to the thoughts and feelings of one character at a time” (04:52).
  • Anna adds that third-person limited can still be biased, as “the reader is still following [the character’s] journey...from his character perspective and his character lens” (05:00).

2. Setting & Timeline

(06:41–08:01)

• The story takes place during the Winter Solstice in Velaris, a period about four months after the war at the end of A Court of Wings and Ruin (ACOWAR).
• Notably, Silver Flames picks up roughly nine months later.

3. Feyre's Arc—Healing and Art

(08:22–16:47)

• Trauma Avoidance & Growth:
  • Feyre is busy with work and avoids processing her trauma, mirroring earlier books. But with Rhysand’s partnership, there's healthy communication and space to heal.
• Art as Therapy:
  • Feyre’s interactions with a local weaver (not THE Weaver), who lost her husband in battle, inspires her to use art for healing others:
    • “I have to create, or it was all for nothing...if I were to let this loom or the spindle go silent...there would be no hope shining in the void.” (The Weaver, quoted by Anna, 11:19)
  • Feyre finds purpose in reopening a devastated art gallery, inspired by words from the Suriel: “leave the world a better place than how you found it.”
• Maas’s Use of Artistic Outlets:
  • The hosts note that SJM gives each of her series’ heroines a unique creative outlet—art for Feyre, music for Celaena (Throne of Glass), dance for Bryce (Crescent City).

4. The Archeron Sisters – Relationship Shifts

(16:47–18:03)

• The sisterly dynamic is evolving:
  • Anna shares from real-life sister experience that sibling relationships are unique and multifaceted.
  • Previously, Nesta and Feyre were united in watching over Elain; now, Feyre and Elain bond over their concern for Nesta: “They are using the other sister as their crutch right now because they don’t have those fundamental separate relationships.” (Kim, 17:47)

5. Rhysand’s Struggles and Growth

(18:04–22:22)

• Post-War Guilt and Fear:
  • Rhys feels lighter post-ACOWAR yet battles guilt and the worry that happiness means something dreadful is looming.
  • Vulnerability: Kristina highlights a touching scene where Cassian reassures Rhys about his deep bond with Feyre:
    • Cassian: “She loves you in a way I’d never seen anyone love anyone. … What you two have, Rhys, it’s the legends…” (19:15)
    • Cassian’s advice: “You paid the debt before it was ever a debt.” (21:15)
  • Rhys fears losing Feyre and his new slice of happiness, foreshadowing his mindset in Silver Flames.

6. Tamlin—A Portrait of Ruin

(22:33–32:03)

• Tamlin’s State:
  • The hosts describe Tamlin as utterly broken and alone with “haunted and bleak” eyes (22:37).
• Rhysand’s Confrontation:
  • Rhys delivers a withering judgment on Tamlin’s fate:
    • “You deserve everything that has befallen you. You deserve this pathetic empty house, your ravaged lands...I hope you live the rest of your miserable life alone here. It's a far more satisfying end than slaughtering you.” (Rhysand, quoted by Anna, 24:27)
  • The hosts discuss the moral complexity of this moment—validation for Rhys, but also profound sadness and empathy: “If Rhys had said some version of this to him at the High Lord's meeting...I think we would feel like, oh hell yeah, fuck him...But it's something about seeing him so broken...” (Kim, 29:46)
• Follow-Through:
  • Later, Rhys returns, quietly helps Tamlin and does not answer Tamlin’s plea for forgiveness, underlining that redemption is Tamlin’s responsibility alone.

7. Face Hand (Feyre + Rhys) Moments and Fan Debates

(32:03–38:38)

• The Dresses:
  • All Feyre’s dresses were handmade by Rhys’s mother for his future mate—a gesture the hosts joke might be a bit “overbearing mother-in-law” energy.
• Feyre’s Solstice Gift—Baby Plans:
  • Feyre is now ready for children, shifting from her earlier stance. The hosts discuss whether this leap feels earned:
    • Kim’s take: “After nearly losing Rhysand, I do think it makes complete sense everything shifts for her...” (34:44)
    • Anna notes the influence of the weaver’s grief, realizing “anything could be taken away from her.”
    • Both agree this narrative development also sets up Silver Flames, but acknowledge some readers find the logic “a little bit ridiculous.” (35:47)
• Mind-Speak Sex:
  • A humorous, slightly confused discussion on Rhys and Feyre’s “mind sex”:
    • “I don't understand the logistics of it either. It just feels like an acid trip where it's like we are having sex in my mind, but also my body. What is happening?” (Anna, 37:16)
• The River House Reveal:
  • Rhys presents Feyre with a grand new estate, promising each found-family member their own space (“every girl’s dream”). The hosts laugh about how the original townhouse suddenly feels “cramped” for narrative convenience.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On ACOFAS Transitioning POVs:

• “This serves as the bridge between all our Feyre centered trilogy and the rest of the series. Like what's to come next, Specifically A Court of Silver Flames. … She’s shifting from first person to third person and she kind of gets us used to that here by blending both of those throughout this novella.” – Kim (03:41)

On the Purpose of Art After Loss:

• The Weaver: “I have to create, or it was all for nothing...if I were to let this loom or the spindle go silent… then there would be no hope shining in the void.” (11:19)

On Sister Dynamics:

• “They are using the other sister as their crutch right now because they don’t have those fundamental separate relationships.” – Kim (17:47)

Cassian Comforts Rhys:

• “You paid the debt before it was ever a debt.” – Cassian (21:15)
• “You already paid for it, Rhys. Both of you. And then some. … Peace, Rhys. We have peace and the true kind. Enjoy it. … You deserve it.” – Cassian (21:15–22:08)

Rhysand to Tamlin:

• “You deserve everything that has befallen you. … I hope you live the rest of your miserable life alone here.” – Rhysand (24:27)

Hosts’ Banter on Mind-Sex:

• “What is happening right now? This is some like Jedi shit.” – Anna (36:51)
• “I have logistical questions.” – Kim and Anna (37:45)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Novella’s Purpose/POV and SJM Style Change: 03:37–07:14
• Setting the Scene (Timeline): 06:41–08:01
• Feyre’s Art and Healing: 08:22–16:47
• Sister Dynamics Discussion: 16:47–18:03
• Rhysand’s Vulnerabilities/Cassian’s Pep Talk: 18:04–22:22
• Tamlin’s Downfall & Moral Discussion: 22:33–32:03
• Face Hand Moments, Dresses, Children, and Mind Sex: 32:03–38:38
• Wrap-up & Preview of Next Part: 38:38–39:10

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Final Thoughts

The hosts balance genuine analysis with their signature humor, all while showing deep affection for SJM’s world and characters. They efficiently lay out how ACOFAS functions as a crucial turning point, highlight character arcs, and dive into both the poignant and playful elements that make the ACOTAR series beloved to so many. From exploring creative healing after trauma to the thorny pathways of forgiveness, Anna, Kim, and Kristina create a book club atmosphere that feels both insightful and intimate—making this episode ideal for both die-hard Maas fans and fantasy romance newcomers alike.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where the trio dives deep into Elain, Azriel, Lucien, Mor, Nesta, Cassian, and more!

Transcript

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[Anna]

Com. Welcome to Flights of Fantasy, your Romantasy Podcast Book club. I'm Anna, joined by my book besties Kim and Christina, and together we're diving into the characters, theories, lore and magic behind all your favorite fantasy romance books. Hi book besties. Welcome to ACOTAR Revisited, our deep dive back into the series that started it all. We are so excited to be here discussing the novella A Court of Frost and Starlight from the ACOTAR series by Sarah J. Maas. And just a reminder, because we have read the series multiple times, we will be discussing each book with the knowledge of the entire series. But before we give our official spoiler warning, Christina has some announcements.

[Kim]

Guys, we are kicking off 2026 over on Patreon with a bang. Friends, we are covering heated rivalry. That's right, all of season one. We're breaking it all down for both tiers over on Patreon available this month. Also, I am doing a cauldron chat for tier two where I am presenting a case for Gwen Real that is a full PowerPoint presentation 15 slide deck that I made and presented to Kim at her house. It is so much fun. I'm so excited for you guys to see that. We are also in our SJM series breaking down the dinner with Arabin scene from Queen of Shadows. The that was so much fun to deep dive. And Kim also has an amazing video where she goes through her Christmas reads. She wraps all of those up, all of her favorites. So so many fun things going on over on patreon. We have two tiers. Our first tier being $5 a month, second being $10 a month. Both tiers get early ad free access to our episodes. Tier two gets full video access to every episode. We would love to welcome you into our Patreon family. So please join the party over@patreon patreon.com flightsofantasypodcast okay, Anna.

[Anna]

All right, spoilers from here on out for every book in the ACOTAR series by Sarah Jean. So let's kick us off. Christina.

[Kim]

Oh my goodness. Everybody, welcome to our Valaris Holiday special. It's Solstice. Everyone feel the festivity. All right, so let's discuss the purpose of this little novella. So first and foremost, this serves as the bridge between all our Feyre centered trilogy and the rest of the series. Like what's to come next, Specifically A Court of Silver Flames. But one of the major things that Sarah is really doing here is easing us as the reader into this shift in writing style that's about to happen when we start Silver Flames. So she's shifting from first person to third person and she kind of gets us used to that here by blending both of those throughout this novella. So feyre and Rhys's POVs are still in first person, most likely, because that that's how we've always known them. But everyone else's chapters are written in third person limited, which is the style that Silver Flames is written in, as well as Throne of Glass and Crescent City. And just in case you need a quick refresher, third person limited means the story is told using pronouns using he or she, but we only get access to the thoughts and feelings of one character at a time.

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[Kim]

So it is third person, but it's limited to that person's thoughts.

[Anna]

Yes. It's not omniscient.

[Kim]

Exactly. Exactly.

[Anna]

I also, it's just important to note while we are making the transition to Third person. It can still carry inherent biases that plague a first person narrative because the views and emotions, like Christina was saying, are following that one specific character. For example, like in Cassian's pov. Yes. It's third person and there's an element of removal from the text as a reader. But the reader is still following his journey when we are in his pov. So we are seeing everything from his character perspective and his character lens.

[Kim]

Yes, exactly. Exactly. And it does feel definitely different. And I. This reread did feel like it was a little jarring, the jumping back and forth. It did. Of first to third. For some reason I didn't remember it feeling that jarring, but it is. I feel like an interesting move in the same type novella to jump back and forth so much.

[Anna]

I agree. Especially because. Toss in Asriel. More. Cassian Nesta.

[Kim]

Yeah, I liked getting theirs. I don't have a solution. I mean, honestly, it would have also felt jarring if all of a sudden Feyre and Rhys were in third person. That also would have felt wrong.

[Anna]

That would have been really weird. Yeah.

[Kim]

So I do see exactly why it happened this way. It just. It felt a little strange.

[Anna]

Yeah. And I'm trying to think like which one I prefer to read.

[Kim]

Yeah.

[Anna]

I think I might like third person limited. But I don't know if that's just because I love Throne of Glass so much.

[Kim]

Ye.

[Anna]

That I feel like it lends itself naturally then to allowing all these multiple POVs without it being in our monologue.

[Kim]

Exactly. And without it feeling like, you know, things the characters don't know. I like that we're figuring out with them.

[Anna]

Yes.

[Kim]

I agree in their thoughts. But yeah, I do think the third person limited we are used to because of Throne of Glass.

[Anna]

Yes.

[Kim]

Zack, my husband, read Crescent City before he read anything else by Sarah J. Maas. And he was very thrown off by the third person limited. Yeah. I think third person limited might be rarer in other genres than we think it is. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, so let's just set the scene here. Going in to a fast. It has been about four months since the end of Acowar and everybody in our inner circle has been booked and busy friends since that war. My God, everyone is so busy. People need assistance, people need EAs. People need planners, people need counsel. Nobody's seen each other. Rhys and Feyre have not had nearly enough sex. Everyone's very busy.

[Anna]

They're having cloud sex.

[Kim]

They can only have sex in the sky. That's how busy they are.

[Anna]

Still can't figure out the logistics. But anyways, so much flapping.

[Kim]

Can you imagine? Just like out with your family to brunch and you're like, oh, there goes the high Lord again. Oh, shield their eyes, children. Goodness.

[Anna]

Not Disney Channel appropriate.

[Kim]

No. Okay. But the winter solstice is upon us, which means it is the perfect excuse to take some time off to spend some festive time with their found family and to celebrate Feyre Darling's birthday. Also, just for a little context here, this book only spans a few days.

[Anna]

Yeah.

[Kim]

And Silver Flames picks up roughly nine months later.

[Anna]

I always forget that.

[Kim]

Yes, it is nine months.

[Anna]

Dark nine months.

[Kim]

Well, it's a dark nine months for our girl Nesta. Also nine months. Feyre's pregnant from this time, so.

[Anna]

Whoa. Yeah, but hold on one second. This is actually a logistical question. She doesn't get pregnant on solstice night. No, because she's not. I kept waiting for the wings to appear. So she gets pregnant at some other point and she. They were. They were doing some foreplay, some furry kinky shit.

[Kim]

They were doing some role playing. Yes, got it. Yeah. Because she's not showing at the beginning of Silver Flames and that's nine months later.

[Anna]

Yes, got it. Okay.

[Kim]

So speaking of Feyre Darling, let's talk about her in this book.

[Anna]

Yes.

[Kim]

This was fun with Feyre.

[Anna]

This was. I mean, I feel like this book really kind of focuses on her journey and how she wants to use her art form to help others heal. We're kind of. I feel like just tying up loose ends with her and Rhysand because obviously we're setting us up for Akisoft. So Feyre has been keeping herself busy with work. She's avoiding her trauma a little bit, as she does.

[Kim]

We've talked about that. Yes.

[Anna]

There are definitely parallels here and consistencies with her character in the first few books where she is very trauma avoidant. And again, she has this feeling of like, should I be creating? Should I be painting? Is this frivolous, basically to be doing this?

[Kim]

Exactly.

[Anna]

And we saw her, like I said, in Acomaf, especially where she avoided painting. She didn't want to discuss her trauma, the events under the mountain. But the difference here in this book is that she has Rhysand and the two of them do open up to each other, while also there are giving each other a respectable and healthy distance in terms of not pushing, but also always letting the other person know, like, hey, I'm here if you want to talk about this. And so like we already said, this novella is really focusing on setting us Up For Akisoff and for Feyre, that means showing us how she turns her love of art into a way to help others. And there's a couple people here that are kind of side characters that really impact Feyre and in a way that shapes this idea that she then has to open up a studio at an art gallery to help others. And the first one is Elayne and Feyre are out shopping for solstice gifts, and they enter a weaver's shop. Feyre is immediately taken by this dark tapestry that the artist, the creator, calls the void. And she, the weaver, talks about. Not to be confused with the weaver.

[Kim]

Yeah, not strike it. That really threw me.

[Anna]

Yes.

[Kim]

I was like, we should be saying her name more, not calling her the Weaver. This is. This is confusing. Yes.

[Anna]

No, no, no. This is an artist, like, person who, like, weaves actual threads, not human hair. So she, the weaver explains that her husband died in the Battle of Adriada. And he wasn't a warrior, he wasn't a soldier. He just felt like it was the right thing to do, to go in and help others. And so he joined the battle and he didn't come home. And Feyre is just taken aback by this. And the woman is in the middle of weaving something else, and she asks the weaver, like, how can you keep creating despite what you've lost? And what the weaver says is, I have to create, or it was all for nothing. I have to create, or I will crumple up with despair and never leave my bed. I have to create because I have no other way of voicing this. Her hand rested on her heart and my eyes burned. It is hard, the weaver said, her stare never leaving mine. And it hurts. But if I were to stop, if I were to let this loom or the spindle go silent. She broke my gaze at last to look to her tapestry. Then there would be no hope shining in the void.

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[Kim]

Oh, I love it.

[Anna]

It's such a beautiful little moment. And this really resonates with Feyre, I think, because she has also been spending time with Resinna Racina and in the alley in this part of the rainbow that was really destroyed. But people have been rebuilding and stuff. And there's this gallery there specifically that is kind of, I wouldn't say it's all rubble, but it was destroyed in some ways and the owner died. And Resina says, you know, she used to have a gallery here and, and Feyre is really taken by this. It's boarded up and she goes in and she sets up her own kind of private little area to paint because something about the space I think moves her because this is the part of the rainbow that she came back to defend. And Resinna says, we remember, we didn't forget that you came back for us, that you helped us.

[Kim]

Exactly. And I love this that she goes there I think the first time because she's too scared to go to the group painting. She doesn't want to go to paint in front of the rest of them in that group. And instead she just winnows herself into this gallery and just like creates her own little safe space. And it's so beautiful how in that moment she feels the positive impact of art and of painting and of how it can be therapeutic. And it kind of then escalates from there of her understanding what it can do when she doesn't push it away, when she lets herself actually do it and actually acknowledge that she's an artist. Just like the weaver and just like all these other people that like, that's like a part of herself and then that's something she needs.

[Anna]

And the things that she paints, like for example, her gift to Rhysand, the painting of what she saw when she looked in the Ouroboros mirror in Acowar. And that's what she gives to Rhysand is this dark. All of the inner turmoil and self hate that she maybe has and all these things that she saw. And she puts that on canvas and gives it to him. And I think. And it's all of these things coupled in this book that she realizes I want to create that space for others. And she ends up offering to buy this broken down gallery from the family who's lost their loved one. And they give it to her. And I think Ressina gave them a heads up, like, hey, 100%. I think the high lady might want this space. And they gave it to her and it's really sweet. And then she and Resinna go into business together and it's. Feyre remembers the quote from the Suriel when the surreal died in Akavor and leave the world a better place than how you found it. And it's such a great full circle moment. And I absolutely love this. And I also love. And this is zero spoilers for any of Sarah's other books. But I also really love that Sarah makes a point in each of her series to use different types of art forms as a way for her main female characters to express themselves. You know, we have music in tog, specifically piano playing. We have dance in Crescent City and then we have art in Acotar as Feyre's outlet here. And I love that Sarah takes art forms and really puts them into her books for her female characters to express themselves. I think it's a really beautiful way and how each one is different depending on the series.

[Kim]

Agreed. And I wonder if that's because that's something she feels Herself. She feels like writing is her version of that. And so it's easy to then write other women who feel those feelings that she feels about writing. I do. I wonder if that's part of it.

[Anna]

Yeah. So let's move on to the sister dynamic here. I think we are starting to see a shift where in Acowar, we really saw Nesta and Feyre watching out for Elain, and that was their bonding. We talked a lot about that, where they are really using Elain kind of almost as like a crutch to bond. And I feel like here it's shifted. We're now. Feyre and Elayne are the ones who are now looking out for Nesta and who are bonding together in their concern for their sister.

[Kim]

Exactly. That dynamic shift and how that shift affects each of them. You know, it's hard because there are different lenses and you can speak to this more intimately, having two sisters. But part of me feels like they should be including Nesta. But also, Feyre and Elain deserve to have a relationship. This is the closest we've seen them ever.

[Anna]

Yeah. And I think just on that note, because I am the oldest of three sisters, we all have different relationships with each other, and I think that's what needs to happen. You know, Nesta and Elayne should have their own relationship, and Elayne and Feyre should have their own relationship. But that doesn't mean that the three of them then can't bond.

[Kim]

That's a great point. And that's again, calling back to. They are using the other sister as their crutch right now because they don't have those fundamental separate relationships.

[Anna]

That's very true.

[Kim]

And so it feels easier to say, well, let's come together to both worry about her.

[Anna]

Yeah, it's a common ground.

[Kim]

Exactly. Exactly.

[Anna]

Okay.

[Kim]

Okay. So let's move on to our high Lord and savior, Rhysand. We ended Acowar with Rhysand literally dying to save Prythian. Even with all that trauma and, you know, like a new literal life bargain with his mate, Rhys actually does feel lighter in this book. He seems genuinely happier in moments, which is really fun to see. But even with all the holiday cheer, some of Rhys's deeper fears are still lingering. He is still our broody high Lord, and we see this especially in one of his more vulnerable moments, when he opens up to Cassian about Feyre's birthday. Oh, I love this scene.

[Anna]

I do, too.

[Kim]

Okay, so if we need a reminder, Feyre's turning 21 and Rhysand is currently 537.

[Anna]

Age gap.

[Kim]

You know, we love an age gap and we're here for it. But I do understand that that's validly concerning. I do understand Rhys's hesitation here. And so therefore, Rhys is spiraling specifically about whether she might one day feel shackled to him the way his mother was to his father.

[Anna]

Yeah.

[Kim]

Which, if we remember, his mother was 18 to his father's 900 when they were mated.

[Anna]

Dude.

[Kim]

Yeah.

[Anna]

I mean, I don't know why that somehow is like. I mean, this is a 500 year age gap, so.

[Kim]

But still, 800 feels worse.

[Anna]

I know.

[Kim]

And especially because, in Reese's own words, she was miserable, his mom was miserable. And I really go into that. Rhys's whole family, Cassie and Asriel's whole family in my Batboys Backstories cauldron chat. So for more on all of that, go check that out. But yes. So now that Rhys is not saving the world, it's only natural that these fears would surface. But thankfully, our sweet, wise Cassian is there as his voice of reason. And Cassian says. I know what that look means, you bastard. And it's bullshit. She loves you in a way I'd never seen anyone love anyone. I get jealous sometimes. I'd never begrudge your happiness. But what you two have, Rhys, it's the legends, the lies they spin us when we're children about the glory and wonder of the mating bond. I thought it was all bullshit. Then you two came around. It's so sweet. From Cassian also. Setting us up for him going into silver flames, being like, I'm jealous of you guys that she so openly loves you, because that's so foreign. So then Rhys goes on to have. He says, I get this feeling that it's all some sort of joke, some sort of cosmic trick that no one, no one can be this happy and not pay for it. To which Cassian says, you already paid for it, Rhys. Both of you. And then some. Rhysand waves a hand and says, I just. And trails off, unable to finish. And Cassian stared at me for a long moment. Then he crossed the distance between us, gathering me in an embrace so tight I could barely breathe. You made it. We made it. You both endured enough that no one would blame you if you danced off into the sunset like Miriam and Drakon and never bothered with anything else again. But you are bothering. You're both still working to make this peace last. Peace, Rhys. We have peace and the true kind. Enjoy it. Enjoy each other. You paid the debt before it was ever a debt.

[Anna]

Yeah.

[Kim]

Rhys needed to hear that bad.

[Anna]

Yeah, he really did.

[Kim]

He just doesn't know how to accept that this happiness isn't going to be ripped away from him.

[Anna]

Right. I know. And we see a lot of that in Acowar. And I think he's still grappling with it. Like, there is still this idea and this thing that he's lived with that everything I love gets taken from me. And I'm happy now. And it feels tentative. It feels like I'm going to lose it at any second because I always have in the past.

[Kim]

Yes. Because so much of Rhys's feelings centering around this is that he doesn't deserve it. He doesn't deserve the happiness. Like, he still has a debt to be paid.

[Anna]

Right.

[Kim]

He has to do more. And so Cassian hugging him and saying, you've done enough. You're done. You did it, and you paid the debt before it was ever a debt. Just go be happy and live your life. You deserve it.

[Anna]

Yes.

[Kim]

And I think that's what he needs to hear, that you deserve it.

[Anna]

Yeah.

[Kim]

It is absolutely heartbreaking to think about this. Setting us up for Silver Flames, that this is already his mindset. And then Silver Flames happens, and he's like, fuck. I knew it. I knew it.

[Anna]

I knew it. I'm gonna lose Feyre and the baby and me and. Yeah.

[Kim]

And myself. We're all three gonna die.

[Anna]

I still. I cannot wait to discuss the life bargain that they made to each other when we get to Akasoff. And when he tells everybody to, everyone's like, are you stupid?

[Kim]

Like, decisions were made.

[Anna]

Moving on. All right, so let's move on to Tam. Tam. Oh, boy.

[Kim]

Wow, guys.

[Anna]

So, Sarah again, slowly setting the groundwork for what we're going to see in Akasoff and introducing Tamlin. And he is broken. There is really no way of sugarcoating it. This is how Rhysand finds him when he gets to the Spring Court. Tamlin answered the door himself. I wasn't sure what to remark on. The haggard mail before me or the dark house behind him. An easy mark. Too easy of a mark to mock. The once fine clothes, desperate for a wash. The shaggy hair that needed a trim. The empty manner, not a servant in sight. No Solstice decorations to be found. The green eyes that met mine weren't the ones I was accustomed to either. Haunted and bleak. Not a spark. And this is just one little paragraph on where Tamlin is mentally.

[Kim]

But it really sets the tone completely. It really paints a picture.

[Anna]

And that's where I want to start. Us off in this conversation. Okay. But I also want to set the scene appropriately. Let's remember the following things from Rhysand's perspective before we jump into what Rhysand says and their interaction here. Tamlin is responsible for the death of his mother and sister. That there's really no if, ands, buts about that. He might not have pulled the metaphorical trigger, but without Tamlin giving the exact coordinates of where Rhysand's family was traveling, Tamlin's father wouldn't have known where to go. And Tamlin stood by while his father and brothers then butchered Rhysand's mother and sister. They cut off their wings. They severed their heads. At the end of the book, Tamlin does say to Rhysand, will you ever forgive me for your mother and sister? So he does own that guilt. He knows he's responsible, which again, backs up everything we just said. Also, then there's Tamlin's treatment of Feyre after Under the Mountain. The barricading her in the house, the refusal to actually hear or see just how depressed and unhappy she was. I mean, go back and listen to our episodes. We have a lot to say on that in regards to both of them and how they refuse to communicate, but the complete avoidance of listening to her when she voiced her need to be helpful and useful. So all of that is how Rhysand is walking into the situation with all of that knowledge in the back of his head. And so what Rhysand says to Tamlin is, you deserve everything that has befallen you. You deserve this pathetic empty house, your ravaged lands. I don't care if you offered that kernel of life to save me. I don't care if you still love my mate. I don't care that you saved her from Hybern or a thousand enemies before that. The words poured out cold and steady. I hope you live the rest of your miserable life alone here. It's a far more satisfying end than slaughtering you.

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[Kim]

Vibes.

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[Anna]

Oof.

[Kim]

So much to unpack here.

[Anna]

Oh my God, much.

[Kim]

I am so torn because I do feel that I'm like, honestly? Yes. Fuck off, Tamlin, you deserve this.

[Anna]

Yeah.

[Kim]

And then another part of me is like, oh God, this is. This is a broken person.

[Anna]

Yeah.

[Kim]

It's just so hard.

[Anna]

This scene I feel like has been brewing since the beginning of the series.

[Kim]

Yeah.

[Anna]

We've never seen the two of them come in and really have at it. And Rhysand has never fully said what he feels to Tamlin. At least that we have seen on paper. Right. As the reader.

[Kim]

Yes.

[Anna]

And he lost two of the most important people in his life to Tamlin and Tamlin's family. So there is a lot of anger. And what Feyre says to him later is, you don't always have to be the bigger person. It's okay if you have a slip up. She says, yeah, and that's. And that's fair. It humanizes him in a way that he doesn't always say the right perfect thing. And that's okay because it's yeah, it's. It's also valid that he feels this way and he has this anger. But to your point, Christina, it is hard. And like Lucien says, he really kicked a male when he was down.

[Kim]

Yeah.

[Anna]

And especially at the end of Acowar, when we're starting to see there is possibly redemption for him. He helps save Feyre and Elayne and Azrael from Hybern. He gives Rhysand a spark of magic. He says, be happy, Feyre. But all of that doesn't take away from the fact that he is responsible, in part, for Rhysand losing his mother and sister.

[Kim]

Yeah. It's so complicated because, yes, I do feel empathy for this broken character. But also as a reader, you go back to the High Lord's meeting, you go back to him destroying the study. You go back to all these moments where. Imagine that from Rhys, like, you know, if I were confronting someone who theoretically killed my family, then abused my husband and verbally called him out in the most disgusting, vile way in front of people.

[Anna]

Yeah. At the High Lord's meeting.

[Kim]

I don't. I don't know how much empathy we're supposed to assume that he can physically give him. Like, that's a lot. That's.

[Anna]

That's asking him. That's asking anyone to be God. Like.

[Kim]

Exactly.

[Anna]

And that's not a fair pedestal to put anyone on. I mean, Nesta, case in point. We can't expect her to be like, how Feyre handles trauma just because we've seen three books with Feyre's POV and she doesn't lash out at anyone. Every person is different. Everybody's going to hold on to things differently. Feyre doesn't lash out the way that even Rhysand does. And it's weird because in a way, it's very validating, I think, for Rhysand to have this moment, like, he needed to say these things, but as a reader, it's not necessarily this, like, hell yeah moment. It's like, it's a very sad moment because it's a lot of deep sense sadness and anger that Rhysand has had in his heart. And he's finally able to just kind of look at this person and he is so broken. And he's like, you deserve this.

[Kim]

And I think that the difference is that he's so broken. If Rhys had said some version of this to him at the High Lord's meeting, where Tamlin was scoffing at him and rolling his eyes and being such an asshole, I think we would feel like, oh, hell yeah, fuck him. You put him in his place. Yes, but it's something about seeing him so broken and then also knowing that at the same time, Rhys does have everything. He has his amazing family and his wife and all these great things. I can imagine there being a scenario where Rhys is like, I won. That's good enough. And I think that's where we get to later in the book when he comes back. But I think what. His actual reaction here is also valid.

[Anna]

Yeah. It's also real. Pretty much.

[Kim]

He leaves and he's like, that should have felt better. Yeah.

[Anna]

That's the thing is, like we said, it's not this hell yes moment because you don't get the same satisfaction.

[Kim]

You know, I think he left and was like, that. That was going to feel better. Yeah, but that's how.

[Anna]

But that's how it always feels. I mean, going back to fights with my sisters. I mean, we have cut deep before in fights. And then you leave and you go, well, that didn't feel good. You know, it's hard to take the high road. But then at the end of the day, when you do, you.

[Kim]

You do feel better, it is ultimately better for you.

[Anna]

But, yeah, it is ultimately better for your, like, inside and your soul.

[Kim]

Yeah. And he does end up going back. Yeah.

[Anna]

Rhysand does come back, and he's like, listen, I know you don't want any of my Nightcore people here, but Summer Court's gonna send some sentinels over to help keep, you know, the piece down by the wall. And it's so sad. Tamlin is literally sitting, staring at this elk that he's killed, and he can't even cook. He can't do anything. And I think Rhysand, in that moment is like, I can't tear this man down any more than he already is. So he literally uses his magic. He creates all these filets. He throws one on the frying pan, and he's like, eat, Tamlin.

[Kim]

Eat the damn steak. Eat the damn steak.

[Anna]

And then he winnows out. And he notes, there is not a single magical ward and no barriers. And he says, it's almost as if Tamlin is asking for someone to come in and end him, basically.

[Kim]

Which is dark, because in that scene, he says, do I deserve it? Do I deserve to be forgiven? And Rhysand doesn't answer him, no, which is fine.

[Anna]

He doesn't need to answer him. Only Tamlin can really answer that for himself.

[Kim]

Exactly. But I think he is rock bottom to the point where, like, I actually don't know how we bring him back from here. Like, I don't. This is.

[Anna]

And we'll see more of bit when we get to Acophas a little bit more.

[Kim]

It doesn't get better in Silver Flames.

[Anna]

It does not.

[Kim]

It sure does not. But okay. On to happier things. So let's run through some important face hand moments that happen in this little novella. So okay. One silly thing before we get into another big convo is the dresses. So Rhys tells Feyre that turns out all of her dresses literally, guys, like everything she wears, all of her dresses were actually made by his mother. It's important to remember his mother was an Illyrian seamstress. She loved making clothes. That's something that like was a like love language for her. So that's beautiful. And she's like, I'm so honored. And it's like a gift from his mom. And I, I do love that. But I feel like it would have read better to me if there was like one dress. Yeah.

[Anna]

It's like everything, everything that she has worn. And I forgot about this when I was reading it this time. And I'm reading and I go, I don't. This isn't hitting as cute and sweet to me. I feel weird. I feel really weird wearing this.

[Kim]

It's.

[Anna]

It has nothing to do with the fact that she designed them. It's that she purposely made them for his future wife. Yes. Spouse mate. I was like, that's a lot to live up to.

[Kim]

Oh my God.

[Anna]

What would she be like as a mother in law?

[Kim]

Oh my God.

[Anna]

I made you go get your own ring and now you have to wear all of the clothes. Like what kind of guilt would there be if she didn't wear the clothes?

[Kim]

Oh my God. It would be like, oh, well, I see you're wearing something else today.

[Anna]

I see you're wearing that.

[Kim]

Can you imagine the grandkids? Oh, Nyx is in something that I didn't make. Where'd that come from?

[Anna]

Where'd that come from? I'd be like, damn it.

[Kim]

The level of scrutiny. If you are like, well, my daughter in law has to get her ring from the weaver's cottage.

[Anna]

Really setting us up here.

[Kim]

Wow. Yeah, that's a great point. But yes. Let's move on to Feyre's solstice present to Rhys, which is that she is ready to have kids. And this is a very debated choice in the fandom. So let's just break it down real quick. So if we remember back in Acomath when Rhys asked Feyre about having children, she said, quote, I want to live first I want to see things and have adventures. I selfishly want to have you all to myself for a while. Now, for context, this conversation happened roughly six months ago. And in that time, they've also fought in a war. So here in Akafas, we see Feyre decide that she is in fact ready to have children. I do understand how this could be frustrating to people, and that that seems like a total 180. And here, here's my take on it after trying to think through my feelings here. While I do wish that we had more time and space between these two mindsets and that we had gotten to see her go on some adventures, but after the war and after nearly losing Rhysand, I do think it makes complete sense that everything shifts for her. I also do think that it would logically hit her that forever isn't guaranteed. So, like, what are we waiting for?

[Anna]

Yeah, I feel like that's kind of what she also experiences when she's sees the weaver with the. With the tapestry. And this moment of she realizes anything could be taken away from her. And she, in that moment, kind of has this, well, what if I have nothing left of Rhysand?

[Kim]

Like I Weaver says to her, and we didn't even have children, so I don't even have a piece of him like that. And I think that's like, where it starts, right? Yeah, right. But it is the idea that it is guaranteed if something happens, they have neither of you is a very tricky thing to include into a conversation about having children. And I think it is extra tricky that we do not actually see it included in that conversation.

[Anna]

They don't have a talk about it at all.

[Kim]

We don't see that acknowledged from either of them. And so also, as the reader, I totally forget about it when we get to Silver Flames. Like, oh, shit.

[Anna]

And clearly this is all fantasy romance reasons, whatever you want to say, we're all doing this. The reason Feyre has a baby is so that Nesta can and then save the day and bond.

[Kim]

Right.

[Anna]

When you really lay it down that simply, it is a little bit ridiculous.

[Kim]

It is.

[Anna]

Feyre's gonna choose to have a baby because Nesta then has to save Feyre. And that is the only way that Rhysand and Nesta and Feyre can all get over their shit, because nobody can have a C section.

[Kim]

Okay, well, we'll get there because. Jesus Christ. But I have such complex feelings here because of course we're biased as mothers that I'm like, you know, sometimes you just. You don't have a plan. And she knows she wants children. She knows she wants them with him. And that's the most special, amazing thing in our lives. Of course. And I love reading a heroine like getting that happily ever after. And we know Sarah was pregnant around the time she was writing this. And like it just the glow loveliness of motherhood. It's hard for me not to be like, she's allowed to change her mind. I'm happy for her. Let her have a baby.

[Anna]

Yeah.

[Kim]

However, it's also tricky to think about it in the life bargain way. But again, I love seeing daddy Reese.

[Anna]

I do too.

[Kim]

I'm very excited to hopefully see a lot more of daddy Reese.

[Anna]

I hope so too.

[Kim]

Yes. But this is an interesting, complex topic in the fandom. Yeah. Something that's not so complicated is the sexy times. It turns out guys, they can have mindspeak sex. Did anyone else not realize this?

[Anna]

I forgot this. And I was like, what is happening right now? This is some like Jedi shit.

[Kim]

When she says, can you fuck me in here too? I was like, where? What do you mean in your brain? Are you not always in your brain? What do you mean?

[Anna]

What are you doing?

[Kim]

And she's like.

[Anna]

And it was mind blowing. And I'm like, what the.

[Kim]

I'm sure I don't understand.

[Anna]

I don't understand the logistics of it either. It just feels like an acid trip where it's like we are having sex in my mind, but also my body. What is happening?

[Kim]

I look, I thought it was a hot new fun thing that they were like, make the pictures fall off the walls and.

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[Kim]

But then the. The mind sex thing. I was like, I don't. What is. I'm confused where you are physically.

[Anna]

You've lost me.

[Kim]

You've lost me. I've. I've gone.

[Anna]

I.

[Kim]

Now I'm not thinking this is sexy. I have logistical questions.

[Anna]

I have logistical questions. Okay.

[Kim]

Other things that happened. The River House reveal. Oh my God. What a dream. He's just like, this is state. This is the house I've bought us. And you can design it any way you want on an unlimited budget. And you get a room and you get a room and you get a garden and everyone gets their own space. And it's just. It's incredible. It's every girl's dream.

[Anna]

Every girl's dream.

[Kim]

Truly amazing. Also, I do love how all of a sudden in this book, the townhouse is very cramped. We've never talked about the townhouse being small before.

[Anna]

No.

[Kim]

And all of a sudden it's like there's piles in the corner because they can't fit all their clothes in there.

[Anna]

They're sharing a desk. And it's Asriel and.

[Kim]

And Cassian are sleeping in twin beds. Like, I was like.

[Anna]

Which was hilarious.

[Kim]

I mean, that's hilarious.

[Anna]

It's really fun.

[Kim]

But I was also like, wait, wait, wait, wait. Is this not a Weasley's magical tent where you just like, make it bigger?

[Anna]

Like, that's actually really good point.

[Kim]

I'm very happy everyone's going to get their own rooms. They get to spread out because, like, my God, do they deserve it.

[Rocket Money Advertiser]

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[Kim]

And it was just really nice. First time reader. You're like, here we go. They're skipping off into the sunset. Happily ever after. To the dreams who are answered. Not the case, actually, but it's another bow on their story. All right, I think that's where we're going to wrap it up. Next time we have a full lineup, you guys. We're going to deep dive into Elaine and Azriel and Lucian. More. We got a lot to talk about. About. More. Also Nesta and Cassian. Wow. We have a lot to cover. Next time we do. Okay, so everyone, we will see you next time for the rest of Frost and Starlight.

[Rocket Money Advertiser 2]

Cheers.

[Kim]

Bye.

[Podcast Host Closing]

Well, friends, that wraps up another episode of Flights of Fantasy podcast. Don't forget to join our book club community on Instagram and TikTok at flights of Fantasy Podcast, where you can share your thoughts, theories, and favorite moments with us and fellow listeners. We'd love to hear from you if you enjoyed today's episode. Please rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us spread the magic of Romantasy to even more book lovers. Until next time, keep dreaming, keep reading, and remember, every good story deserves to take flight.

[Anna]

Get that Amex gold cart ready. I'm way too tired to cook tonight.

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